I want to let you all know that my blog will be moving domain in two days time. The new site will be http://www.eviesurf.co.uk. If you would like to keep following me, please go to the new site and you can re-subscribe there. I am sorry that I have not been able to do it automatically.

I also want to thank all of you for the support, likes and comments over the last months. I’ve really enjoyed writing the blog this year and have also been inspired by reading a lot of yours, so thank you for sharing.

This up and coming year is looking really exciting filled with surfing, travel, competitions, and of course some hardcore training! So please, if you would like to continue following my workouts, travel advice, surfing tips, food suggestions and photos, head over to http://www.eviesurf.co.uk and follow me 🙂

Firstly thank you Mira for the most amazing and relieving massage today. I feel a million times better! I am still having problems with my back and hips as a result of my rib injury last year. I have been paying a lot of attention to my body recently and I am try to do everything I can to get back into shape the “right way” and to take care of myself. However, my body keeps shifting back into an unbalanced alignment where my spine corkscrews and my hips become twisted. This then affects the major muscles groups in my back (the erector spinae, quadratus lumborum, and trapezius) which can make it uncomfortable to even sit down. My rhomboids are also tight from paddling, especially on the left side where my rib injury was and compensation has been made around the problem area. I am still seeing the chiropractor weekly and I have just started going back to the gym as of two days ago. I am trying to practice yoga daily and do everything to keep my body in alignment and the muscles flexible, so the massage today really helped relieve some of my most stressed areas.

Surfing involves a lot of radical movements: swinging, twisting, cut backs. It’s only normal that we suffer from tight areas and pressure points. This is why a deep tissue massage is a key aspect to add to your training programme to keep your body happy and doing everything you ask of it. Massage is a form of passive exercise and stretching. It improves circulation, increases a sense of wellness and heath in your body, improves lymphatic flow which leads to detoxification, and enhances performance in physical activity; the benefits are endless.

Mira gave me a trigger point deep tissue that help release the hypertonic muscles, especially in my back and hips, and this will help keep the spine from being pulled out again.

I’m super stoked to be back onto my training programme with a much better understanding of how to look after myself and work with the injury, and I’m thankful to be surrounded by so many helpful and supportive people!

Yoga is quickly becoming something that is part of my daily routine. I never used to do yoga, or any kind of stretching on that matter. I’de normally get up and surf for hours and hours, eat well, go to the gym, do some work, and then sleep. Stretching never even crossed my mind. However, when I was recovering from my injury my physio would give me stretches to do to improve my body condition. I instantly felt a huge difference in my body once I started to do the stretches on a daily basis, so I did a little bit more research on some good yoga postures to relieve the major muscle groups we use when surfing. I now try to do these deep stretches every day for about half an hour, and can only praise the effects. As well as releasing all of the tension within the muslces, I have considerably increased my flexibilty and stability. I am much more confident in the water because my body feels better and stronger and my energy levels are much higher. Its improved my surfing so much I can’t tell you. Yoga is also a great way to train your mind to focus, and I feel it has really helped with my mental discipline in and out of the water. Here are a few of my favorite stretches. I normally do them before I go to sleep as they help me to relax, but you can do them at any point throughout the day when you get time. Dedication is key 🙂

I normally start off with a couple of rounds of sun salutations to warm my body up and loosen any really tight muscles before I go into these deeper stretches.
Downward dog is one of my favourite poses to release tension in my shoulders, and it also strengthens the wrists and the arms, it feels great!
The lotus pose is a nice position to start in after you’ve warmed up a little. It opens your hips, and stretches your ankles and your knees. You can also spend a moment here to concentrate on your deep breathing, which is something you should maintain throughout your whole practice.
The extended side angle pose stretches the top side of your body from your back heel through the raised arm. You will feel a stretch in your groin, an opening of your hip bones and a release in your shoulders and neck.
The dolphin pose (similar to downward dog but resting on your forearms) is another great pose to open up those tight shoulders.
Both warrior I and warrior II poses are great for increasing stamina and strengthening you legs. This is a great moment to really concentrate on lengthening your spine and using your core to hold you tall and straight.
The camel pose I love becuase it relieves any backache. It also improves flexibility of the neck and the spine.
Pigeon is my favourite way to open my hips amd stretch my glutes. It’s a great stress relieving pose, and I hold it for several minutes on each side.
To stretch you knees, thighs and ankles, try the reclining hero pose.
I like to include some kind of spinal twist to my practice, whether I am seated or laid on my back. There are several variations so chose one that you feel comfortable with.
I always end my session with a long seated forward bend. It stretches the complete backside of your body from the back of your head down to your heels. Breath deeply into into yout entire back and each day try to reach a little further to increase your flexibility.

Depending on your sore areas, you can add in stretches to each practice and try different variations to keep it interesting. The hardest thing for me however with the yoga is the discipline. It’s so easy just to skip it out of your routine. That’s why I dedicate to myself half an hour before I go to bed every day. It helps me relax and even improves my sleeping. I go to bed with peace of mind that I am going to wake up feeling bouncy and ready to get out there and surf again. Super happy with my new found love for yoga!